Chapter 23 The show begins!
Before leaving, Lu Zhaoruo tugged at her brother's sleeve and whispered in his ear, "Brother, do me a favor. In three days, there will be a man from the south with half a missing left ear in Yuqian Hutong who specializes in buying jewelry stolen by servants. He will pay three times the price for copperware. Take more patrolmen and wait for him."
She added, "When we catch the culprits and the stolen goods, we'll come to the Shen family together."
Upon hearing this, Lu Bohong asked, puzzled, "What does this mean?"
Lu Zhaoruo smiled faintly: "Brother, just do as I say."
After leaving the county government office, she went straight to the man from the south who was missing half of his left ear and stuffed a string of coins into his hand.
On the way back home, I made a special detour to a pharmacy to get three doses of high-quality medicine for colds.
According to his memories from his previous life, at this time, Shi Tou's elderly mother caught a cold. Shi Tou asked Zhang Shi and Shen Qingshu for an advance on his monthly allowance, but they refused. He was also refused when he asked to borrow money. He sat alone by the back door, wiping away his tears.
She went home through the back door.
Sure enough, Stone sat hunched over on the steps, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
Unlike the rest of the Shen family, Shi Tou was the only one with some kindness. However, his mother passed away a few years later, and he was probably disappointed with the Shen family. Ten years later, when the contract expired, he left the Shen family.
Upon seeing her, Shi Tou immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "This humble servant greets Madam."
Lu Zhaoruo feigned surprise: "Why is Brother Shi shedding tears here?"
Upon hearing the address "young man," Shi Tou trembled as if burned: "No, no! Madam, you're making me feel terrible!"
Lu Zhaoruo said gently, "You have served your uncle for more than ten years and are seven years older than me. Last time, you secretly told me about Abao in the backyard, which is why I was able to get there in time. I remember this kindness."
Her voice softened: "You never belittle me like others do, so it's only right that I call you 'little brother'."
Lu Zhaoruo continued, "Why are you wiping away tears here?"
Shi Tou wiped his face with his sleeve, his Adam's apple bobbing: "It's my mother at home. She caught a cold the other day and has been taking herbal medicine for three days, but her cough has gotten worse. I wanted to ask for an advance on three months' wages, but Master kicked me out."
He gripped the hem of his clothes tightly: "My elderly mother needs to take ephedra soup, and I'm afraid I can't afford to delay her treatment..."
Lu Zhaoruo sighed, "You've been with my uncle for over ten years now, how come you can't even get an advance for a month's salary? I always thought my uncle treated you like family."
Shi Tou gripped the hem of his clothes tightly.
Lu Zhaoru handed over two of the medicines in her hand: "It just so happens that Dongrou and I both caught a cold, so I got three doses of Ephedra Decoction. I'm much better these past two days, so I'll keep one dose for Dongrou and you can take these two back."
"May she recover soon."
Shi Tou dared not accept it and lowered his head, saying, "Madam, you absolutely mustn't."
Lu Zhaoruo shoved him into her arms, her voice deepening: "Boil it over a high flame until it boils three times, drink it warm. If you keep dawdling and delaying the treatment, you'll be unfilial!"
Shi Tou clutched the medicine packet tightly to his chest, as if it were a burning flame. Suddenly, he knelt down with a thud, a red mark appearing on his forehead. "My lady, you are so kind! I... I kowtow to you!"
Lu Zhaoruo said, "Alright, get up and go back."
Shi Tou left with the medicine, but after a few steps, he turned back and said, "Madam is so kind to Miss Dongrou. Miss Dongrou has met a good master."
Lu Zhaoruo's lips curled up slightly.
She returned to the courtyard, pushed open the door, and saw Dongrou taking care of Abao. When she saw her return, she rushed over and said anxiously, "Madam, Xing'er stole that gilded silver hairpin today."
Dongrou was heartbroken.
Lu Zhaoruo carefully checked whether Abao was any better and said with a smile, "We haven't finished stealing yet."
After saying that, she gently hugged Abao and rubbed its little head: "Abao, get well soon, get well, and I'll buy you candied peas."
Abao meowed softly.
Dongrou picked up the shoe pattern from the embroidery basket again and asked, "Madam, are you really going to embroider this for the young lady?"
Lu Zhaoruo glanced at it and said, "Just leave it there."
Dongrou added, "Today, the old lady went to the eldest daughter's room and found that she was missing. She was furious. It seems that the eldest daughter did not return home all night."
Lu Zhaoruo took out the chestnut flour cake that Lu Bohong had given her, handed one to Dongrou, and said with a smile, "I bet you're having a great time outside."
The next day.
Stone waited under the eaves.
Lu Zhaoruo asked gently, "Is your mother feeling any better?"
Shi Tou bowed deeply: "Thank you for the medicine, Madam. My mother took it last night, and her cough has subsided considerably."
Lu Zhaoruo: "Brother Shi, there's no need for such formalities. Is there any medicine you need?"
Shi Tou knelt on the ground again and kowtowed: "I don't need any more. It's just that my mother knows it's because of Madam's kindness, so she asked me to kowtow to you a few more times."
"Since you really want to thank me..."
She lowered her voice, "Why don't you pass on a message to Xing'er for me?"
Stone: "Please give your orders, Madam."
Lu Zhaoruo said, "Tell Xing'er that a man from the south has come to the cloth shop owned by Guan Zhang at the corner of Yuqian Hutong. He specializes in buying things stolen by servants. He pays three times the price for copperware. Normally, a copper hairpin would sell for a maximum of five hundred coins, but now he pays five hundred for one string of cash. He also buys silver charcoal, good tea, and good wine."
She paused, lowering her voice even further: "Sigh again and say that the money for your mother's medicine was raised by pawning the copper-plated silver hairpin that was part of her dowry."
Stone was a smart man, and he quickly replied, "I understand! I'll go find Xing'er for a 'chat' right away."
Lu Zhaoruo watched his hurried departure and a smile appeared on her lips.
For two consecutive days.
Lu Zhaoruo and Dong Rou both allowed Xing'er to steal all the gilded silver hairpins, hollow silver earrings, and medicinal silver bracelets from their dressing cases.
Following Lu Zhaoruo's instructions, Dongrou paid special attention to Cao Hai stealing tea leaves and wine, the kitchen maid stealing charcoal, and the doorman Cao Cang secretly opening the back door...
Although Zhang was troubled by Shen Lingyi these past two days, she was still in a good mood.
today.
The sun finally came out, and the snow was gradually melting.
At the dining table, Lu Zhaoru ate a large bowl of mutton porridge with oil floating on top, and then swallowed two pieces of golden and shiny ghee cakes.
As Dongrou watched her stuff the last piece of honey-dipped cake into her mouth, she couldn't help but advise, "Madam, please be careful with your food."
Lu Zhaoruo licked the honey off her fingertips, a glint of intelligence flashing in her eyes, and said, "If we don't eat more, how will we put on the opera later?"
As she spoke, she pushed the goat milk pudding in front of Abao. The kitten sniffed it and began to lick the milk foam with its pink tongue.
Then, she picked up a dogwood fruit from the table, squeezed out the juice, and smeared it on the corner of her eye.
Before Dong Rou could even gasp in surprise, she saw her mistress burst into tears...
Dongrou was startled: "What are you doing, my lady?"
Lu Zhaoruo soaked a handkerchief in dogwood juice, then stuffed it into her sleeve, saying, "I just wanted to see if I could shed tears, but I didn't expect it to be so spicy."
Then, she whispered some instructions to Dongrou, saying, "Remember everything, you have to cooperate with me in performing the opera later..."
Dong Rou nodded: "This servant has remembered everything."
Lu Zhaoru ran outside: "Quickly, come with me to the old lady's courtyard!"
After saying that, the two of them, master and servant, jogged one after the other to Zhang's courtyard.
As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, Lu Zhaoruo took out a handkerchief and rubbed her eyes, instantly producing large, stinging tears...
Zhang was just sitting by the window, wrapped in a sable quilt, scrubbing her face with gold tweezers, picking at the fine hairs on her face.
Seeing Lu Zhaoruo kneel down on the dripping eaves with a thud, her shoulders shaking with sobs, she dropped the tweezers in her hand onto the dressing table with a clatter and angrily said, "What are you wailing about so early in the morning?"
These past few days, Zhang has been worried about catching her cold and has been reluctant to see her. Now that she has suddenly come and knelt down, she is very annoyed.
Lu Zhaoru cried, "Auntie, all the jewelry in my dowry... has been stolen!"
Dongrou knelt down and said, "Madam, please understand! All of the eldest daughter's jewelry was stolen, so she hid the few remaining pieces on the roof beam. A few days ago, Madam said..."
She suddenly adopted a high-pitched voice, her eyes and eyebrows shrug, perfectly mimicking Zhang's mean demeanor: "The Shen family has had three generations of servants, do they think they understand the meaning of loyalty better than a new bride like you?"
This almost made Lu Zhaoruo burst out laughing.
Zhang's face was gloomy and somber.
Dongrou continued, "Only then did Madam dare to put the remaining silver hairpins and gold bracelets back into her dressing case. When she opened the box this morning, it was completely empty!"
Zhang said impatiently, "Could it be that you put it in the wrong place or misremembered it?"
As Shen Qingshu, draped in a dark green brocade robe, stepped into the courtyard, Lu Zhaoruo crawled two steps on her knees and tugged at the hem of his robe: "Uncle! The Shen family has a traitor in its ranks, this is a disgrace to the family!"
Zhang tried to gloss over the matter, but seeing Shen Qingshu frown, she said, "Set up the main hall! Summon all the servants!"
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